Ziggy makes a draft run

Mike Detillier NFL Analyst

Published: Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, February 24, 2013 at 12:05 a.m.

There are stories of players making it to the NFL that would almost seem like something from a novel, but this year one player, Brigham Young defensive end/outside linebacker Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah, has a story like virtually no one else in recent years.

Ansah grew up in Accra, Ghana, and dreamed of playing either professional soccer or in the NBA.

His path to the NFL was first paved by his speed as a track athlete, and in 2010, he decided to give football a try.

"I knew about professional football growing up, but my dream really was to play in the NBA," Ansah said. "Growing up in Africa, my background was soccer, running track and playing basketball. When I came to the states, I was a track sprinter, and I decided to give football a try. Everyone wanted me to try out and see if I could play this game. I guess I have done pretty well."

Pretty well indeed.

Before the 2012 season, Ansah was looked at as a probable undrafted rookie free-agent signee, but by the end of the season, people were talking about him being a Top 50 pick in the NFL draft.

After a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and practice sessions, Ansah is now being looked at as probable Top 15 pick.

"All of this has come very fast," Ansah said. "There are some things I know I have to work on and get better with. I don't have the background in the game that others do have. There are some things that naturally come to others that I have to work on, but I am focused on being the best I can be and being just a little bit better today than yesterday."

Ansah said the Senior Bowl practices were a great learning experience.

"I think the coaches there knew I was a pretty good athlete and could run well. For me, it was adjusting to a different style of coaching, a different way to do things than at Brigham Young and just being able to absorb as much as I could mentally in a short time. It's about adjusting to new techniques and staying humble, focused and ready for a new challenge each day."

The 6-foot-4, 245 pounder says he compares his game to two of the best pass rushers in the NFL.

"I watch a lot of ‘JPP' Jason Pierre Paul with the Giants and also J.J. Watt with the Texans," Ansah said. "Both are terrific athletes, and they use different parts of their game to be really good players. They adjust their game to who they are playing. Right now, my best attribute is speed and getting up the field, and I would want to be like those two guys and have every aspect of the game at my disposal."

Ansah says he has worked at both defensive end and outside linebacker and that the team that selects him will put him in the right spot, but there is one person he really wants to go up against when he reaches the NFL.

"I just want to play and play hard for whoever selects me," he said. "Really, they are going to pick me on my potential and for me it is to give them the production they seek as a professional. It doesn't matter to me if it is at defensive end or at outside linebacker, I will do my best.

"I would love to go up against Adrian Peterson from the Vikings. I have a lot of respect for him and as a runner he is not just a powerful runner, but fast and real shifty. I want to go head-up against him and tackle him. He's the one guy I dream of playing against."

LSU'S REID TRYING TO IMPRESS SCOUTS

LSU free safety Eric Reid is doing his best to convince NFL scouts he is worthy of being a first-round selection.

Reid (6-2 1/4, 215 pounds) decided to give up his senior season to turn pro early, and he has worked hard since the Chick-fil-A Bowl to get himself ready for the challenge.

"This is unlike being recruited out of high school," Reid said. "I have had the opportunity to work out and watch film with a host of other draft prospects, and I have worked hard to upgrade my techniques, especially as a cover guy and also the film work part of the game."

Reid totaled 76 tackles as a sophomore along with two pass interceptions, including a game changer against Alabama in LSU's 9-6 regular-season win in 2011 when he wrestled the ball away from Alabama tight end Mike Williams at the goalline in the fourth quarter.

In 2012, Reid was a first team All-American registering 91 tackles, seven pass break-ups and two interceptions despite battling a right quad injury that he had partially tore as a sophomore.

"I am fine now and completely healthy," Reid said. "The challenge for me is that unlike in college because you can't legally touch that man downfield after 5 yards. You just can't bump that receiver all the way downfield and not get a penalty. It's all about good techniques, good foot work and taking the best angles to the ball. I have worked a lot on getting my head turned around a bit quicker to find the ball faster in flight."

While Reid's excellent size is a huge plus, his foot speed and agility just may punch his ticket into the opening round. He attributes a lot of that to his father, who was an All-American hurdler at LSU.

"The tight ends coming into the league are like big wide receivers, and it is hard to match up size and speed wise with them," Reid said. "I think I can bring that element to the league."

Reid said he enjoyed his time at LSU, but he wishes the team could have won the BCS championship in the 2011 season.

"I loved my time at LSU and as a team we accomplished a lot, but that little piece of me will always be left out there because we couldn't finish the deal against Alabama in the BCS game," he said. "I am a competitive guy and that motivates me every day because you can come so close and accomplish so much, and yet when you don't totally finish off what you started everyone remembers that one game. No one brings up how well we did the rest of the season. But it was a great honor to play with the likes of Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne, Tyrann Mathieu, Tharold Simon, Brandon Taylor and Ron Brooks at LSU."

SOUTH LAFOURCHE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN IS A TOP PROSPECT

South Lafourche's Bailey Granier is considered one of the top offensive tackle prospects for the Louisiana Class of 2014.

Granier (6-7, 318 pound) was an honorable mention Class 5A selection in 2012, and now has a host of colleges interested in him,

Granier has already been offered a full scholarship to Mississippi State.

South Lafourche coach Dennis Skains confirmed the offer to Granier, and he believes this is the first of quite a number of major schools to make offers.

BARBARO HONORED BY CHIEFS

Former Nicholls State University standout Gary Barbaro will be inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame at Arrowhead Stadium later this year.

Barbaro spent seven seasons with the Chiefs and was a three-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection. He signed with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 1983.

Barbaro played football for one season at East Jefferson High after he spent most of his time in the band. He accepted a football scholarship to Nicholls and became the first player ever drafted from the school.

The Chiefs picked Barbaro in the third round of the 1976 draft after a strong showing in the 1976 Senior Bowl.

Barbaro is already a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the Nicholls State Hall of Fame and the AllState Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame.

<p>There are stories of players making it to the NFL that would almost seem like something from a novel, but this year one player, Brigham Young defensive end/outside linebacker Ezekial "Ziggy" Ansah, has a story like virtually no one else in recent years.</p><p>Ansah grew up in Accra, Ghana, and dreamed of playing either professional soccer or in the NBA.</p><p>His path to the NFL was first paved by his speed as a track athlete, and in 2010, he decided to give football a try.</p><p>"I knew about professional football growing up, but my dream really was to play in the NBA," Ansah said. "Growing up in Africa, my background was soccer, running track and playing basketball. When I came to the states, I was a track sprinter, and I decided to give football a try. Everyone wanted me to try out and see if I could play this game. I guess I have done pretty well."</p><p>Pretty well indeed.</p><p>Before the 2012 season, Ansah was looked at as a probable undrafted rookie free-agent signee, but by the end of the season, people were talking about him being a Top 50 pick in the NFL draft.</p><p>Last season, Ansah had 62 tackles, 13 tackles for losses, 4 1/2 sacks and 9 pass break-ups.</p><p>After a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and practice sessions, Ansah is now being looked at as probable Top 15 pick.</p><p>"All of this has come very fast," Ansah said. "There are some things I know I have to work on and get better with. I don't have the background in the game that others do have. There are some things that naturally come to others that I have to work on, but I am focused on being the best I can be and being just a little bit better today than yesterday."</p><p>Ansah said the Senior Bowl practices were a great learning experience.</p><p>"I think the coaches there knew I was a pretty good athlete and could run well. For me, it was adjusting to a different style of coaching, a different way to do things than at Brigham Young and just being able to absorb as much as I could mentally in a short time. It's about adjusting to new techniques and staying humble, focused and ready for a new challenge each day."</p><p>The 6-foot-4, 245 pounder says he compares his game to two of the best pass rushers in the NFL.</p><p>"I watch a lot of 'JPP' Jason Pierre Paul with the Giants and also J.J. Watt with the Texans," Ansah said. "Both are terrific athletes, and they use different parts of their game to be really good players. They adjust their game to who they are playing. Right now, my best attribute is speed and getting up the field, and I would want to be like those two guys and have every aspect of the game at my disposal."</p><p>Ansah says he has worked at both defensive end and outside linebacker and that the team that selects him will put him in the right spot, but there is one person he really wants to go up against when he reaches the NFL.</p><p>"I just want to play and play hard for whoever selects me," he said. "Really, they are going to pick me on my potential and for me it is to give them the production they seek as a professional. It doesn't matter to me if it is at defensive end or at outside linebacker, I will do my best. </p><p>"I would love to go up against Adrian Peterson from the Vikings. I have a lot of respect for him and as a runner he is not just a powerful runner, but fast and real shifty. I want to go head-up against him and tackle him. He's the one guy I dream of playing against." </p><p>LSU'S REID TRYING TO IMPRESS SCOUTS</p><p>LSU free safety Eric Reid is doing his best to convince NFL scouts he is worthy of being a first-round selection.</p><p>Reid (6-2 1/4, 215 pounds) decided to give up his senior season to turn pro early, and he has worked hard since the Chick-fil-A Bowl to get himself ready for the challenge.</p><p>"This is unlike being recruited out of high school," Reid said. "I have had the opportunity to work out and watch film with a host of other draft prospects, and I have worked hard to upgrade my techniques, especially as a cover guy and also the film work part of the game."</p><p>Reid totaled 76 tackles as a sophomore along with two pass interceptions, including a game changer against Alabama in LSU's 9-6 regular-season win in 2011 when he wrestled the ball away from Alabama tight end Mike Williams at the goalline in the fourth quarter. </p><p>In 2012, Reid was a first team All-American registering 91 tackles, seven pass break-ups and two interceptions despite battling a right quad injury that he had partially tore as a sophomore.</p><p>"I am fine now and completely healthy," Reid said. "The challenge for me is that unlike in college because you can't legally touch that man downfield after 5 yards. You just can't bump that receiver all the way downfield and not get a penalty. It's all about good techniques, good foot work and taking the best angles to the ball. I have worked a lot on getting my head turned around a bit quicker to find the ball faster in flight."</p><p>While Reid's excellent size is a huge plus, his foot speed and agility just may punch his ticket into the opening round. He attributes a lot of that to his father, who was an All-American hurdler at LSU.</p><p>"The tight ends coming into the league are like big wide receivers, and it is hard to match up size and speed wise with them," Reid said. "I think I can bring that element to the league."</p><p>Reid said he enjoyed his time at LSU, but he wishes the team could have won the BCS championship in the 2011 season.</p><p>"I loved my time at LSU and as a team we accomplished a lot, but that little piece of me will always be left out there because we couldn't finish the deal against Alabama in the BCS game," he said. "I am a competitive guy and that motivates me every day because you can come so close and accomplish so much, and yet when you don't totally finish off what you started everyone remembers that one game. No one brings up how well we did the rest of the season. But it was a great honor to play with the likes of Patrick Peterson, Morris Claiborne, Tyrann Mathieu, Tharold Simon, Brandon Taylor and Ron Brooks at LSU."</p><p>SOUTH LAFOURCHE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN IS A TOP PROSPECT</p><p>South Lafourche's Bailey Granier is considered one of the top offensive tackle prospects for the Louisiana Class of 2014.</p><p>Granier (6-7, 318 pound) was an honorable mention Class 5A selection in 2012, and now has a host of colleges interested in him,</p><p>Granier has already been offered a full scholarship to Mississippi State.</p><p>South Lafourche coach Dennis Skains confirmed the offer to Granier, and he believes this is the first of quite a number of major schools to make offers. </p><p>BARBARO HONORED BY CHIEFS</p><p>Former Nicholls State University standout Gary Barbaro will be inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame at Arrowhead Stadium later this year.</p><p>Chiefs President and CEO Clark Hunt told Barbaro via a phone conversation Thursday afternoon.</p><p>Barbaro spent seven seasons with the Chiefs and was a three-time All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection. He signed with the New Jersey Generals of the USFL in 1983.</p><p>Barbaro played football for one season at East Jefferson High after he spent most of his time in the band. He accepted a football scholarship to Nicholls and became the first player ever drafted from the school.</p><p>The Chiefs picked Barbaro in the third round of the 1976 draft after a strong showing in the 1976 Senior Bowl.</p><p>Barbaro is already a member of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, the Nicholls State Hall of Fame and the AllState Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame.</p><p>NFL analyst Mike Detillier is based in Raceland.</p>